Don't Turn Your Back
by comptine
Summary: 24. Gentle. Zuko looked at Katara, who looked at Aang, who shrugged his shoulder, grinning nervously. “It sounded like they were doing something else.”
1. Introduction

_**Don't Turn Your Back  
**_

_**1.**_

_**Introduction**_

-

Sure, I could admit to myself that I was head over heels for Sokka, but would I ever admit it to him? Not in a lifetime. I always thought that he might like me back; while Aang and Katara went off supposedly 'training' Sokka and I would be left to our own devices; my favourite time of day. Sokka and I would talk for hours whether is be in the freezing rain, scorching hot sun (only his torso showing, me being able to brush my fingers over it, only in my wildest fantasies of course) or beside a small pond where Sokka would swim and I would dangle my feet in the water, close to the edge but not close enough to surrender to the water completely.

Even now I think he kind of liked me to, not the way I liked him, but like the way a brother loves his little sister. It was a nice feeling, we'd be sitting there, most likely around a campfire, listening to the forest around us as the night creatures filled the air with swoops and cries which were easy to hear even with the crackling of the fire and our gentle banter. Sokka would most likely be talking, his heart beating fast as he recounted one of his many stories of his homeland. Katara would be nodding and occasionally correcting him. Aang was rapt in the stories, gasping like a little boy when Sokka would get to the exciting parts. Sokka didn't just tell the story; it was filled with arm gestures, different voices and sometimes even a little role-playing. Of course Sokka would be the only one participating. We would just watch, laughing at his antics. Occasionally someone else would talk, Aang would recount stories of the old days, before the war and Katara would fill me in with all the details of their prior travels or 'Pre-Toph Days' as she called them.

My stories would always be about my life as the Blind Bandit. I never told them about my personal life, the fights between my parents, the lengths they went to stop my Earthbending, and of course the numerous doctors that came claming they could cure my blindness. It was easier just to tell them I had a boring childhood.

It was hard describing my fights to them. They saw with their eyes, they only saw what was on the surface, and they never saw the power needed to command the earth. I couldn't describe how every bead of sweat dropping from my enemy's face was perfectly audible by my feet or how the cheering of the crowd almost made it impossible to concentrate on the fight. So my stories were filled with random nonsense I had made up so that their unseeing minds could understand.

It was perfect, sitting around the fire, keeping each other amused with our life stories. Sokka would always listen to my stories even after Aang and Katara had long forsaken us for their beds. I would always listen to his. I felt at home sitting beside him, savouring his smell; it was like the ocean spit him up into a field of flowers. Fresh from the water and sweet from the blossoms, that was how he smelt as we told each other our stories, learning more and more with each passing word.

Then Suki had to come along. She was beautiful, talented, and already involved with Sokka. She completely ruined all I had worked so hard for; every blush, punch, quip and touching moment, vanished from Sokka's memory like an old piece of meat that was too mouldy to eat. Was this all because of some girl?

Yeah right. I didn't believe Katara right away when she assured me that Sokka and Suki were more than just friends with privileges. Sometimes my stubborn personality gets the better of me. At this point, I subconsciously began comparing myself to her. I was twelve. She was fifteen. I was tiny. She was elegant. I was brash. She was kind. I was blind. She could see.

In a sick, bizarre way, it made perfect sense. She was everything I wasn't. Was it my fault I was blind? Was it my fault I didn't like wasting time? Was it my fault I picked on people? Was it my fault that I was only twelve?

Normally I'm not into the whole self-pity scene, but that night when Sokka wandered off, Suki hot on his heels, I couldn't help but wallow in it. I sat in my stone tent, sending out vibrations every few seconds, desperate to know what was going on. The ocean was crashing against the stone every few seconds sending vibrations to my body and mixing with Suki and Sokka's racing heartbeats. Then Suki leaned in, Sokka mimicked the movement, a crash of waves blocked the next few seconds and the next thing I knew, Sokka was returning to camp and Suki's heart was still pumping madly. I poked my head out of my tent and made a wall of rock appear just far enough for him to not run into it.

It stopped him, "Are you alright?" I asked innocently, the way a friend would ask a friend, definitely not the way a girl would ask her crush. At least I hoped.

"No." he said simply and, sidestepping the wall, he kept walking. When he flopped into his sleeping bag I drew back into my tent, and laid my head back on the earth. Having my ear so close to the ground made it easy to hear what was going on. Sokka's heart was beating steadily while Suki's was still pounding as she stood by the sea. All I could think about was Sokka thinking about me. What was going through that little mind of his? Was it Suki? Was it me? Or was he merely sitting there, thinking nothing at all, and just simply being? I reached the conclusion that he was probably daydreaming about his boomerang or meat or whatever goes though his head.

The next day, I woke early and completely forced last night's close encounter out of my mind. Sokka was already up, which was abnormal. Normally he was last awake; that fact had gained him the nickname Snoozles. It was surprising to not hear his snores, which were easily heard over the smash of the ocean. That particular morning, he was sitting on the edge of the cliff, his feet swinging back and forth sending vibrations through the earth. I walked over and sat down beside him. His breathing was normal but his hands were fidgeting, giving away his restless mind. The ocean was still throwing itself against the cliff. After each crash a small cloud of mist floated up with the breeze and would sprinkle the bottom of my feet sending shivers up my spine.

"Still not alright?" I asked after settling myself.

"No." His voice carried the same bluntness from the night before. He sighed, the warm breath tickling my leg as it sped towards the ocean below. "Why do you care?"

I could feel the sun just creeping over the ocean and a light wind mess around my bangs. Back at the camp I could feel Aang and Katara getting up, murmuring hellos and getting breakfast ready. His hand was close to mine, fingers drumming on the ground as he waited for an answer. The urge to grab it crept up my arm.

"Is it really that bad? Me, caring?"

He laughed, "No, I was just curious." He put a hand on my shoulder, my body tensed and the earth below me cracked as I gripped the ground. He put a momentary pressure on my shoulder and left. Then I was alone, the ocean still chipped away at the cliff.

The rest of the day was spent stomping around the Serpent's Pass, talking only occasionally to rip on Zuko or to come up with theories why it was called the Serpent's Pass. I was doing my best to keep Suki away from Sokka. A little Earthbending here and there, distracting Suki with witty repartee, anything to keep her as far away from Meathead as humanly possible. We stopped midmorning for a short water break and to give the pregnant lady time to rest her feet. I had found a small rock to sit on with enjoying the break. I sat, eyes closed for no particular reason, thinking of more plots to keep Sokka Suki-free. Hesitant footsteps interrupted my thoughts and a voice spoke. "Toph?"

"Suki? What do you want?" It was harsh but I wasn't feeling too kind to her presence at that moment.

She sat down, without invitation, and took a deep breath before letting it out slowly and deliberately. Suki sure knows how to waste a person's time.

"Well I was wondering," she moved her skirts, smoothing them nervously. "You're Sokka's best friend and I thought maybe he told you if anything was wrong. He seems kind of out of it."

"No, he didn't say anything." Even if he had I still wouldn't have told her.

"Oh…Okay." she stood up, "Well I'll just go then." She walked perilously close to the cliff. One Earthbending move and she would've been thrown into the sea and smashed up against the rocks. Self-restraint was the key to not doing what I so earnestly desired.

"Uh oh…" Katara's voice floated over our heads. We had been walking for just over an hour and Katara had already called a halt. I sent out a small vibration and was met with the edge of my safety zone.

"Where's the earth?" I asked aloud to the group.

"Across the gap…" Sokka's voice answered and he walked forward to join his sister by the edge of the earth. Katara's heartbeat quickened as her adrenaline started pumping, "Everyone single file Her arms started waving, the same actions she did whenever she waterbended.

I didn't feel like arguing when Katara was so moody but if I had I'm sure I wouldn't of ended up underwater, holding Twinkle Toes' staff, and with Momo chattering on my shoulder. He jumped off my shoulder and with a splash into the water surrounding us. After a few seconds he was back on my shoulder, his wet paws soaking my shirt and screaming madly in my ear. I had a faint idea of what was going on, a large 'swoosh' sound swam by us every few second. When my feet started getting wet and my sensitive ears were berated with screaming and yelling, the only answer was to Earthbend. The tiny island I made wasn't exactly a show of the world's most amazing Earthbending, but it was safe.

Except from giant sea monsters.

Katara made her little pansy ice pathway and everyone slowly made their way across. I on the other hand stayed on my little island, assuring Sokka and myself that I would be completely fine. I prepared to Earthbend another path and prove them that I didn't need a Waterbender to save me. A giant tail lashed down behind me, shaking me to my senses and forcing me to move forward onto the ice. Along with my feet, my mind froze. I couldn't react, everything was happening to fast. The ice was shaking and I was truly blind. No earth around the show me the way, not even a grain of sand. Something snapped me out of my state, a voice shouting, something was wrong, someone wasn't moving. I wasn't moving, Sokka was yelling at me to move. Sokka was telling me to follow to the sound of his voice. For a brief moment I imagined how romantic it would be if a giant sea monster weren't actively pursuing us. I was infatuated by the fantasy of Sokka calling out to me, and when I finally made it to the other side, him running forwards and gathering me in his arms whispering words of comfort and letting me drown in his sweet scent.

I think the serpent had it out for me.

The tail came crashing down, shattering the pathway, interrupting my daydream and plunging me into a freezing ocean. Water rushed into my mouth and the salt burned my eyes making tears pour out. I coughed and hacked while still screaming, natural instincts taking over.

Stay alive.

Don't die.

Over and over the mantra played in my mind, pulsing through my senses as I flailed above the water. Sokka was yelling again, something about saving me. Even Suki could've helped me and I would've accepted it. My head submerged and I lost all will as the water crushed every last fragment of life in me.

No instinct.

No self-restraint.

Just death's cold embrace.

The whole world shut down in the complete ethereal silence of the ocean, I floated there and for what seemed like eternity. I was insignificant in the pure, infinite, depth of the ocean.

Funny time to have deep thoughts. My lungs screamed for air and I took a gulp of water, letting the last few bubbles of life escape from my mouth. First I lost the feeling of my toes and in a flash couldn't feel anything except the heartbeat of the world's greatest Earthbender slowing. Just as the heart was reaching the last few pumps a strong arm grabbed me and pulled me back to the surface. Back to the above world, filled with noise, motion and air. Everything was thrown back into action my nostrils flaring in the salty air, my ears tuning into the epic battle between the serpent, Avatar, and Water Tribe girl, my heart pumping, and my lungs gasping for air. After taking a few gulps of saltwater and air I managed to wrap my head around what had just happened.

Sokka had saved me from the water. "Oh Sokka!" I said in, possibly, the girly-est voice to ever exit my mouth, "You saved me!" I placed my lips to his cheek, hoping that this could be the start of an amazing romance.

"Actually, it's me…"

That was how I learned about heartbreak: drowning, a giant sea serpent, and kissing a girl.

* * *

-A/N 

I know this was on my poll but it was a mistake, I was going to always have it going and in case I got writer's block I could go and write a challenge.

Okay, this is the first Beta-d story/chapter thing that was fully edited. This is the 5th version at 2310 words. The original barely passed 500.

Tell me what you think! This is the first serious writing I've done.

Comments, reviews, criticisms and even just a 'good job' would be really appreciated.


	2. Love

_**Don't Turn Your Back**_

_**2.**_

_**Love**_

-

Have you ever been in love?

He tells her briefly about a girl in the Northern Water Tribe and a brave warrior that captured his heart.

He asks her. "Toph have you ever been in love?"

She couldn't honestly tell him. The feelings she had for him were complicated at best. At times she wanted to kiss him, holding him tight and at others she wanted to Earthbend him fifty feet into the air.

"Of course not Snoozles, the Blind Bandit walks alone." she says, chucking a rock into a nearby lake. "You seem like a seasoned expert, what does love feel like?" Hebreathes in deeply reliving his memories of the moon. Yue, what had she made him feel? What was it Toph was asking? He sits down and pats the rock beside him indicating that she should sit beside him.

"It's hard to explain…like…the whole world suddenly has a purpose." Instantly his brain tells him he's wrong but Toph's voice interrupts him before he can correct himself.

She grimaces. "Sounds a bit too soft for me."

"So you're never going to fall in love?" he laughs slightly.

"Exactly."

"That's a tall order," the Water Tribe boy raises an eyebrow. "Even for the world's greatest Earthbender." He adds after receive a glare from her.

"I can handle it."

"Aww c'mon, there's got to be someone you like." He pokes her. "You can tell me Toph. I am your best friend."

She looks at him, her eyes soft, "You Sokka. I like you." It finally came out, she didn't even will it, it just poured out not even registering in her mind until her ears caught it on the wind. She blushed a furious red and prepared herself to be shot down by Sokka. He liked Suki. Suki liked him. What wasn't there to understand?

"I like you to Toph, but that's avoiding the question." She can't tell if he's lying or not, her feet weren't ready to sense lies. Her blush deepens to crimson, finally have admitted her feeling and he doesn't even understand.

"Well if you're not going to tell me I'll just guess." He pulls a face. "Teo?"

"Wheelie? No way!"

"Haru?" She just laughs. "Aang?"

"Seriously, you think I like Twinkle Toes? He likes Katara and Katara likes him. End of story."

He raises his hands in defence, "It was a guess, no need to get all 'Zuko' on me." Something clicked in his mind. Zuko and her? Was that it? Did she like the banished Prince? Would he be brave enough even to ask? Common sense said do not ask. Instincts said ask. "Is it Zuko?"

This time the silence is absolute. He realizes that he had made the biggest mistake of his life. She's still blushing, which almost answers the question without words. He stands up, eager to leave the now uncomfortable situation. He scratches the back of his head nervously, unsure of what to do. She stands and seems to be trembling. If she started to cry he wouldn't know what to do. He was a man after all. People crying seemed more like Katara's thing. Before he could think of an escape she lets out a large, well-rounded snort before bursting into laughter. "Ha…you thought…me and ha-ha Zuko?"

"Hey! It's not that funny!" Toph still laughs, he crosses his arms and thinks of the first insult that comes to mind. When you're embarrassed we tend to bring out the worst in ourselves, "Like you'd know what love feels like! You're too stubborn; you never let people in Toph."

The last silence was insignificant compared to this. The mirth in her eyes and disappeared completely and was replaced by fury, "What did you just say?" each word is drawn out and he can feel them cut through the air.

Sokka wasn't feeling particularly apologetic at that moment, anger was still blinding his common sense, "I said, you are harsh, stubborn, mean and nobody will ever fall in love with you!"

What he had expected was Toph to start yelling. What he had expected was to get into a fight. What he had expected that Aang and Katara would intervene before any Earthbending got involved. What he had expected was Toph to stomp away and not talk to him for a week.

What he had not expected was Toph to start crying. Not big sobs but just crying, tears falling from her eyes, flowing down her cheeks and ending up on her chest as she hung her head. She looked up at him, eyes narrowed but still crying, "You're…"

"I'm what! A jerk? A bastard? Say it Toph, say it." He goaded her, intent on getting her out of this crying and back to the Toph he knew.

Instead of saying anything she just turned her back to Sokka sat down, gathered her knees to her face and cried into them leaving Sokka to stand there awkwardly.

"I didn't mean it Toph."

"That's a lie."

"No it's not."

"Then why'd you say it?"

"Maybe because it's what I think is true."

"What?"

"Maybe it's because…I never want you to let anybody in. Maybe I just don't want to see you get hurt."

"So instead you laughed at me?" she accused, wiping the tears from her face.

"Kinda a weird way to protect someone." He laughs nervously.

Finally Toph smiled, "I guess."

They stood unsure of what to do next until Sokka spoke, "Well we better get back to camp or Katara will freeze us to a tree. 

Toph laughed and followed Sokka back to camp but punched in the shoulder saying, "You're still not forgiven. You're going to have to do a lot to make up for making me cry."

"Don't worry," he chuckled, rubbing his arm, "I'm sure I'll think of something."

* * *

A/N

Yeah like Toph would really cry.

Anyway, just wanted to get something out for this! You'll see me all over the map with these, the stylistic approaches, the mood and the betaing ect so expect every oneshot to be different.


	3. Light

**_Don't Turn Your Back  
_**

**_3._**

**_Light_**

The moon shone brightly, flashing gleaming strands of light between the trees. Sokka gazed up at the stars, hoping -if he wished on one- things could be different.

"What are you doing?" A familiar hand found his shoulder. He didn't even turn; he knew from the voice it was his sibling.

"Just…remembering."

Katara came to stand beside him. "You still really miss her." It wasn't a question but a statement.

"You mean Yue or…" the name died. He couldn't even say it. It took only a few weeks after Yue death for him to finally look back on the memories without breaking down completely. But with _her_…it was different. Almost everything reminded him. The earth itself was a living reminder that he had failed.

It had been months since _her_ disappearance. She looked beautiful that day. Though he thought she looked beautiful everyday, that day she was especially stunning. Her hair was clean and silky as she blended into the dark. But only he had to say goodbye. Others could easily forget _her_. He couldn't.

"You know who I mean." Sokka looked at his sister. Her belly was large, three months left and there would be a new member of their family.

Sokka walked away from her, weaving in and out of the trees. Katara shuffled along behind him, biting her tongue. She hated to her brother like this, but this wasn't her brother. She hadn't seen her brother for months. This was a ghost.

They emerged from the forest and were bathed in the full light of the moon. The Fire Lord's Palace was facing the moon while Katara and Sokka started towards the west entrance.

As they approached a lady wearing servant's garb came running out yelling, "Lady Katara! You shouldn't stress yourself!"

"Oh don't fuss." Katara waves the servant away. "I'm fine!" Zuko seems to have this idea that the minute females have babies they can't handle themselves. Katara takes in stride.

As the entered the Palace the servant turned to Sokka. "Chief Sokka." She bowed deeply. "Someone is here to see you."

Who would want to see him? It was late and he was hiding out in the Fire Lord's palace, nowhere near the Southern Water Tribe.

"Can't it wait till tomorrow?" he wined. If he bought himself some time now, he could escape.

The servant looked torn between obeying Sokka and completing her duty. Katara fixed that problem. "Go Sokka. Who knows," she placed a hand on his shoulder. "This could be exactly what you need." He knew she was talking about forgetting _her_.

"Fine." He jerked his shoulder out of her grasp and followed the servant down a corridor. After the minutes of uncomfortable silence the servant stopped. "They're waiting in the courtyard." The servant bowed and scuttled away, most likely to stalk Katara under the Fire Lord's orders.

Sokka pulled his shoulders back and tilted his chin upwards. If he were cold enough this person wouldn't want to spend five minutes with him. He walked into the courtyard, the pond reflected Yue's light with wilting cherry blossoms laid on the ground in pools of soft pink.

"Hello?" No one was there. He sighed and took a seat under the tree, leaning his aching back against the rough back and letting his head tilt back, eyes closing.

"I'll give you three hints to who I am."

He sat bolt upright. "Who said that?"

A cloaked figure melted from the shadows, bare feet padded in the dull grass and the hood hide her face from the moon's light. "First hint. I'm a girl."

Sokka got to his feet, drawing his sword in one fluid movement he demanded, "Tell me who you are."

The ground opened up, swallowing him. His meteorite sword lay inches from his head, He attempted to worm out of the hole but he was trapped. The voice laughed. Light and tinkling, he glared. "Let me out." He commanded again, using a finger to point as scarily as he could.

He saw the moonlight shine off two eyes as the figure kneeled beside him. "Hint number two. I'm an earthbender."

"Well thanks Captain Obvious." He sighed again. He was not getting out of with hole. "Fine. What do you want?"

"I want you to guess who I am."

"I don't know."

"You're not very fun to play this with."

"Well so-o-ory."

"Witty, I like that in a man. So tell me." The woman plopped down beside his head. "Who's the girl?"

"How did you know there's a girl?"

"Only a girl could make you so manly." This comment sounded so familiar.

"It's a long story."

She settled herself. "I've got time."

"Well it all started with Earth Rumble Six…" he talked for an hour. The most he had spoken since _her_ disappearance. He told the woman all about _her_. Everything he loved about _her_. Everything he hated about _her._ Their adventures together with and without the Avatar. The scams, the quips, punches, jokes, blushes and countless unforgettable moments. How she had sworn to come back, but never did. How he loved _her_, but never got to tell _her_.

The woman was quiet through his whole speech. At the end she looked thoughtful and let the moon drift towards the west before she asked, "Are you ready for the third hint?"

Sokka had completely forgotten that he was buried in the ground and still had no idea who he was talking to. "I guess."

The woman shook her hood away and Sokka saw _her _eyes. "I'm the world's greatest earthbender, the Avatar's sifu and world's only metalbender."

"Toph?"

"The one and only."

* * *

A/N

I really liked this one, some people may it a bit short and the ending unsatisfactory but I liked it...alot for that matter.


	4. Solace in the Dark

**Don't Turn Your Back**

**4/5**

**Solace in the Dark**

It always starts out the same. Complete darkness. It's something I've grown used to. Blackness infuses my eyes and even my toes see nothing. The air begins to vibrate. The beat of someone's heart. Their life force permeates the air with a steady beat.

_Thump_

Then the yell of a voice. I hate the voice. It means the fire is coming again.

_Thump-Toph watch out!_

The beat of the heart is steady as the world begins to morph. Instead of a secure beat the screaming grows louder.

_Thump-Aang! No!_

Fire begins to blaze in my ears, my feet burn and my nose fills with embers. Flames are all around; a laughing monster punctuates the inferno with deadly, blue, sky-fire. The blue flies around me. My feet cannot see it, only my delicate ears follow it's path.

_Thump-Aaaaaang! No Katara! Don't go so close!_

The dream suddenly ends. No heartbeat. No life within it. The screaming starts in the very corner of my mind. I've forced it to stay in the deep recesses but it escapes, worming through my mind's fortress and straight into the inner eye, poisoning it. Katara's screams echo around my head. Pure desperation as the Avatar sacrifices himself. Zuko's grunts are coupled with quiet sobs as he restrains Katara.

Round and round they go, biting my skin and forcing me to the ground, curled into a mass of pain and regret. Blindly, my feet attacked by screams, I reach out for him. His voice flits around, moving, avoiding the screams of sorrow.

_Sokka…_

My inner voice speaks, weak with unheard tears. All around me bite the screams and pain. Wounds bleed more screams. Countless bodies killed by me. Innocence stolen by the brutality of war. I had no say, it was snatched from beneath my own two feet.

_He's dead. Katara, come here; let's get away from here._

She still sobs, each gasp cutting me. I couldn't save him. I couldn't.

"Toph…Toph…wake up Toph…" I struggle as the shrieks grab my shoulders. Their hold does not loosen and his voice grows louder, calling me out of the darkness. "Toph! Stop it! It's me!"

* * *

Her eyes burst open and her attempts to make me let go stop. She's breathing heavily, tears leaking out her eyes. "Toph, deep breathes. Everything's fine. Katara and Zuko are fine. So is Shu. She's fine, I'm fine." She doesn't even need to ask me, I know exactly what she needs to hear.

"Sokka." She sobs into my chest. "It was the nightmare again."

I grimace. Toph has been haunted with dreams of Aang's death for years after he passed that fateful day a comet passed overhead. The dreams have become much more frequent as Shu's first birthday approaches. "Katara screaming?"

She's told me about the dreams so many times sometimes I have them. But it's never the same as she describes them. She feels her nightmares. They blaze through her senses while mine are merely seen through a seeing eye.

* * *

"Over and over, she won't shut up. It hurts Sokka. I can't block it out. She just keeps going. It cuts." I show him my wrists where I can feel red marks throbbing from unbidden struggles. His cool hands cover them, dulling the fire slightly. I jerk them away to wipe away a few remaining tears. "It's pulling me apart Sokka. And I don't understand why."

His hand brushes my bangs away from my face. I flinch and his fingertips leave my face. "Toph."

"Don't use that 'Toph' on me."

His soft chortle calms me. My breathing is now regular. The screams are returning to the corner of my mind. Gone for now, waiting for the next chance to hunt. I run a hand through my hair, searching for an inner calm. It eludes me. I'll have to use Sokka's presence for now. "Fine. I don't know why you're feeling like this. Tomorrow we'll go see Katara, maybe she can fix you up."

I lie back down, Sokka accepts my silence as consent and his body settles down beside mine. His arm wraps around my waist, pulling me tight. "Till then, I'll protect you."

I fall asleep, the beat of his heart replacing the screams I had heard minutes ago.

_It always starts out the same. The beat of someone's heart._

* * *

A/N

No, this was not about self-mutilation. The red marks on Toph's skin are from the dreams. They affect her mentally.

This was so random, but I loved it. I have a theory about the finale but somehow I think will be more affect than anyone else. I'm not sure why, it just makes sense.

Okay it's time for a choice readers! I can either keep updating like this or just do drabbles from here on out. So fast, quick updates or long, detailed updates.


	5. Breaking Away

_**Don't Turn Your Back**_

_**6.**_

_**Breaking Away**_

-

There seemed to be a norm in the world.

Earth Kingdom married Earth Kingdom.

Water Tribe married Water Tribe.

Fire Nation married Fire Nation.

Even the war was long over, people were still having adjusting.

Zuko and Katara were the first to break this rule. Their wedding was small, a formal affair. I swear I have never seen my sister look more beautiful than she did on that day. Toph and I attended; I was Zuko's best man while Toph had been coaxed into a dress and the role of Katara's Maid of Honour.

Aang and Ty Lee were next. Their wedding was extravagant and odd. They held it at The Southern Air temple and declared their love at the top of the highest spire. After the first kisses Aang swept her up in his arms and jumped from the very top of the Western Air Temple.

They shared their first flight as a couple. Toph and I both agreed that if we ever got married, we should keep our feet on the ground.

"You ever think we should tie the knot Snoozles?"

I choke on my tea. Wiping away a combination of tea and spit I stare at her. She continues to work through earthbending poses, her long body flowing smoothly through each move. The earth rumbles but she makes sure no boulder flies up to destroy the mansion.

The sun shines into the small courtyard, leaves whisper in a small breeze and clouds float lazily across a stunningly blue sky. It is really a perfect day, weather-wise.

I lay on the grass, sipping tea from the Beifong's most expensive china while reading history of the Beifong family. It's one of the oldest families I've ever heard or read about. Their ancestors share roots with Oma, which explains where Toph's earthbending prowess originated.

"What? Tie the knot?" I close the book and look at her.

Her foot stomps to the ground and her fist shots out, knocking an invisible opponent out cold. Wisps of hair hang in her face and her braid whips around her head until it settles to a stop. She's wearing tight brown capris, and a sleeveless green tunic with an earthy-yellow trip. Her feet are bare so she can see. "Yeah, why not?" She asks me as if she's asked me to go out for dinner or something, not something as dramatic as marriage.

"Well, I don't know..." Honestly, I have no argument. As a distraction I start talking about her family, "Did you know your great, great, grandfather was a Captain of the Earth Kingdom armies? How cool is that?"

She starts practicing again. This time the movements are less smooth. "I've got a deal for you Meathead."

I groan, Toph's ideas tend to lead to me getting my ass kicked. "What is it?"

"A fight, if I win, you'll marry me. If you win...I dunno, I'll buy you meat until the day you croak."

"You want to spar? You'll use earthbending though! I can't compete with that!"

She sighs and walks over to me. A finger reaches out, flicking me right in the forehead. "Fine. I promise I won't use earthbending."

"Okay, I'll spar you then." I stand up, and twenty-two point three seconds later I was back on the ground, pinned by a grinning Blind Bandit.

There seems to be a norm in this world.

The man proposes to a girl.

Normally he kneels.

Traditionally marriage isn't agreeded upon by winning a sparring battle.

I guess Toph and I are anything but 'normal'.

* * *

A/N

This was so random, I had no idea where I was going with it but overall I really loved the end product.


	6. Heaven

_**Don't Turn Your Back**_

_**7**_

_**Heaven**_

_**-**_

Some say being blind is the worst punishment they think of. A curse given to children whose parents angered the Spirits in one way or another.

These people have obviously never met me.

They do not understand that my blindness is a gift. Earthbending skills rivaling even the most elite of the Earth Kingdom soldiers. Trained by the original earthbenders, I was almost unstoppable and I was only twelve. Ears so finely tuned can pick up a drop of a coin on a pillow. Feet that can see more precisely than any eye and can sense through almost any lie.

Yes, I am that good. No one, ever since Princess Sparky, has been able to get past these toes of mine.

There were other things that made this supposed 'curse' more bearable. Make this 'affliction' seem more like a miracle. A seemingly perfect paradise on this war torn world.

Moments that made life make all the more sense.

His breath comes in a constant cycle. Lungs pumping his chest up and down. Ave you ever sat and just listen to the sound of someone's breathing? Even if it's a dying breath, the last gasping, a last attempt at life, I swear, nothing is more calming.

His voice comes in a constant buzz. A fly floating around, not loud enough to bother you but still making it's presence known. He talks about how the fish aren't biting, how his sister and the Avatar should just finish messing around get together and how he hopes that tonight's dinner will include some form of meat.

I talk to him back; he seems calmed by my presence. He always needs someone to pay attention to him, someone to bother him, someone to remind him that he's not an ordinary guy. I don't mind, it's easy talking to him, bothering him, secretly harboring a crush that he is so innocently ignorant of.

As we sit on a sky bison's back, Sokka pole sitting loosely in his hands and his fruitless search for nourishment continues I simple breathe him in.

His heart steadily pumps. Each convulsion a small wonder, it's the most amazing feeling in the world. But only he matters in the few seconds where his heartbeat fills my senses.

"Toph, are you even listening?"

"Yeah, yeah keep talking Snoozles it's not like I've got anything better to do."

* * *

A/N

This was based on a piece by poorachan on DeviantArt entitled 'The Sound of You'

Check it out! It's really great!

Anyway, this was short but I like it.

So meh.


	7. Innocence

_**Don't Turn Your Back**_

_**8.**_

_**Innocence**_

_**-**_

"How can you not like Suki and Sokka together?!" Katara demands of the small earthbender. "They're perfect for each other, stop being so jealous! It's not like you're never going to see Sokka."

Toph crosses her arms. She's not saying anything. She's not saying what on her mind. She's not saying that she's really in love with her best friend. She's not saying that Suki isn't right for Sokka. She's not saying that Katara should shove her foot in her mouth and shut up.

She is saying, "You're right. I'll see him all the time," she flashes a fake smile, "Well, figuratively speaking."

_I'm tuggin' at my hair_

_I'm pullin' at my clothes_

_I'm tryin' to keep my cool_

_I know it shows_

"Toph? Can I come in?" She knows who it his from his voice and his rhythm of steps. The groom to be. Sokka of the Water Tribe.

She's still struggling into her dress but calls, "Yeah, come on in Snoozles."

The door swings open and the tall man walks in, closing the door behind him. She continues to fiddles with her dress, pulling it one with difficulty. "Need some help?"

_I'm staring at my feet_

_My cheeks are turning red_

_And I'm searching for the words inside my head_

"Yeah. Could you just…pull it over my head?" She asks, blushing slightly at the fact that she cannot dress herself. Why was she even wearing a dress? She shouldn't be here, here with this happy couple. Here watching her best friend marry the wrong girl.

But here she was, attempting to wear a dress just so Sokka could maybe give her one glance. One look that could make her knees weak. Even though she couldn't see, when his eyes glance over at me.

_Cause I'm feeling nervous_

_Tryin' to be so perfect_

_'Cause I know you're worth it, you're worth it_

_Yeah..._

_'She looks beautiful' _He thinks and the dress slips over her. A flowing white, almost the same as the day they met at the Bei Fong mansion. Her hair flows past her shoulders, her opaque eyes stare at him.

Her pale skin glows in the moon's rising light. He forcing down the urge to hold her close. She doesn't want to marry him. He doesn't want to bring her down with him. She was highclass, he was poor, and that's why he was marrying Suki, someone that he could maybe relate to.

_If I could say what I want to say_

_I'd say I want to blow you--away_

_Be with you every night_

_Am I squeezing you too tight?_

_If I could say what I want to see_

_I want to see you go down--on one knee_

_Marry me today_

_Guess I'm wishing my life away_

_With these things I'll never say_

"Hey Sokka." She whispers his name. He puts a hand on her shoulder. Her hand covers his, "I just wanted to say…good luck."

Then he did it. He swoops down and kisses her. She freezes for a second then starts kissing him back, wrapping her arms around his neck and deepening the kiss. His hands pull her closer. Time stops, letting the two kiss. Sokka's voice of reason suddenly started reminded him that he was getting married.

_It don't do me any good it's just a waste of time_

_What use is it to you what's on my mind?_

_If it ain't comin' out, we're not going anywhere_

_So why can't I just tell you that I care?_

"Wait, stop, please." Sokka pushes her away. She breathes heavily, staring at him. Her hands fly to her mouth. "Toph, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to. Pre-wedding jitters."

_But that was a lie._

_'Cause I'm feeling nervous_

_Tryin' to be so perfect_

_'Cause I know you're worth it, you're worth it_

_Yeah..._

The wedding was formal. Sokka smiled at his bride. They kissed, she threw the flowers. Toph caught them, Katara congradulated her, attempting to figure out who Toph was going to marry.

_If I could say what I wanna say_

_I'd say I want to blow you--away_

_Be with you every night_

_Am I squeezing you too tight?_

_If I could see what I wanna see_

_I want to see you go down--on one knee_

_Marry me today_

_Guess I'm wishing my life away_

_With these things I'll never say_

"So Toph, you're you going to tie the knot with? Zuko?"

"Nah, he's got Mai."

She and Katara sat a table, Aang was dancing with Meng as an old time favor. Everyone swirled around the room, a small orchestra serenading them. There was laughing and partying and everyone was in a brilliant mood.

Everyone but Toph.

_(What is)What's wrong with my tongue?_

_These words keep slipping away_

_I stutter I stumble like I've got nothing to say_

"Katara, would you like to dance?" Aang offers his hand.

She looks at Toph but Toph waves her off with a hand. "Go, have fun, I'll stay here and finish this drink."

The Water Tribe girl smiles and follows the Avatar onto the dance floor as the music slows down.

"Miss Beifong, this really isn't a time to be sitting."

_'Cause I'm feeling nervous_

_Trying to be so perfect_

_'Cause I know you're worth it, you're worth it, you're worth it_

_Yeah..._

_I guess I'm wishing my life away_

_With these things I'll never say_

Sokka pulls her to her feet, sweeping her to the dance floor. As soon as their hands interlocked they started to dance, bodies close. "Why aren't you dancing with your bride?"

"She's dancing with her father." _So I'm just a replacement_, she think sourly.

"Did you ever think it would've worked out between us?"

"_Yes. But it's too late."_ She thinks about saying, but different words come out of her mouth. "No. We could've never been more than friends."

_If I could say what I want to say_

_I'd say I want to blow you--away_

_Be with you every night_

_Am I squeezing you too tight?_

_If I could see what I want to see_

_I want to see you go down--on one knee_

_Marry me today_

_Guess I'm wishing my life away_

_With these things I'll never say_

These things I'll never say…

* * *

A/N

Remember how I said no more songfics after 'Time Goes By'?

That was a lie.

But the cake wasn't a lie.

'The cake is a lie' is a lie.

The cake is real.

If you get that, you are made of awesome, and please mention it in you review.

Anyway. So this is short, then I look back and realize they're all short XD funny how that works. I did like this, love Avril for the Tokka ship and I wanted to use this song for such a long time.


	8. Drive

_**Don't Turn Your Back**_

_**9.**_

_**Drive**_

-

"Ready?" It's an odd situation. Me, a simple Water Tribe boy who, not two months ago, was more concerned about finding food than the fate of the world, facing off against the Crown Prince of the Fire Nation, who, not two months ago, was hunting us, in a friendly duel.

"Yeah." The rules were simple, no bending, swords only. Zuko's broadswords against my meteorite blade.

"C'mon Sokka!" We even had a crowd. Toph, Katara and Aang. Toph pumps her fist in the air and it raises my spirit slightly. Most of my normal vigour is dulled by the fact that Zuko has been training for years and I've barely been a swordsman for a month.

Katara watches, hand never leaving her water pouch, the Avatar gazes at us with innocent excitement I his eyes.

The sun rides low on the surrounding cliffs. Wind sings through the abandoned temple. Sweat already beads on my forehead. Zuko's face remains still, his amber eyes not moving at all. Appa rumbles quietly and even Momo has stopped chattering.

Zuko moves first. His left sword flies forward. Piando's training kicks in and blocks it. Then his right sword swings round. I jump back; silently berating myself for forgetting the he has two swords.

We circle each other, calculating. Zuko's amber eyes flick from my face to my torso, waiting for a sign.

"Snoozles! Torch! Stop dancing! I wanna see some fighting!" My concentration focuses to my best friend. Her feet are planted on the ground, waiting to feel a fight.

A blade glistens in the sun. My sword barely moves in time to block. His other sword whistles through the air and I block it. Then the first spins again, followed by the second one. He starts swinging the blades in an endless cycle. My arm jars from each blow. I grit my teeth, waiting for an opening in the whirlwind of blades. I start to see the rhythm, the pattern he follows.

But I can't break the motion. He gets stronger and more confident with each blow. Katara grips her waterskin, obviously expecting an accident. I block another two swings. Aang has fist fists clenched in excitement.

However, it's Toph's face that gets me. Her lips are twisted with a sinister smile. Slowly, barely moving an inch, her foot slides out and the earth rumbles ever so slightly. The smallest of rocks pokes up out of the ground, right into Zuko's foot. His lets out a small groan as the rock embeds itself in his foots. His eyes widen as the rhythm dies. For a moment his swords are held limply in his hands. I take the opening.

With one broad slash his left blades flies out of his hand. He snaps back into consciousness. He looks around for the blade. It sits fifteen feet away. I stab, he blocks weakly.

Now I'm on the offence. Large swings, dramatic stabs. Zuko loses his foots, stumbling backwards.

Then it happens. He trips and flies s back. I flick my sword tip to his neck. His Adam's apple jumps. We stay in this position, panting and watching each other.

My sword leaves his neck and goes back into the sheath on m back. I offer a hand; he takes it, smiling quietly.

"Wow!" Aang runs over, holding Zuko's sword. "That was amazing! You guys were even!"

Katara and Toph walk over. "Good job." Katara says. She looks at Zuko; we all see a small trail of blood running down his neck from a small scratch. "Zuko! Hold on." The water floats out of the her pouch, flinches but allows the glowing blue water to touch his neck.

Toph punches my shoulder. "Nice Snoozles."

I grab her arm and walk her away from the others. "What did you do?" I hiss into her ear.

She acts innocent. "What are you talking about?"

"I saw you. You made Zuko trip! Why? I was fine on my own."

She snorts, "Sure. Let me guess. In one spectacular move you were going to win? Yeah right."

I glare at her, forgetting she's blind. "Why?"

What I did not expect was to see a blush blossom across her cheeks. "What's it to ya?"

"Just curious." I lower my voice, making it a bit kinder.

"Because I didn't want you to lose..." She admits, blushing an even deeper red.

What is this? Toph Beifong cares about me? Before I could ask more Aang comes over, eyes bright. "Hey Sokka, Sokka. Sokka." He says my name over and over.

"What?!"

"You know what would be really cool?"

I facepalm. "Aang I'm trying to have a conversation here." I wave my arm at Toph, who grins.

"But Soooookka!" he whines.

"We're not finished. "I say to Toph. Her grin grows and she struts away.

She is a very strange girl. I guess she doesn't like people losing. What a weird motivator.

"Okay. So it's be really cool if you taught me sword duelling. So then I could fight with you guys and we'd be sword buddies. So yeah, and you and Zuko could teach me so I could bend all the elements and use a sword and I'd be all "Swoosh, slash, stab, block, stabbitystab! And everyone would be like "Whoooooa!" does that sound? Huh? Huh? We got a deal?"

"Sure. Whatever you say Aang."

* * *

A/N

I love that last paragraph that Aang says. I don't know if it's IC for him. Could someone tell me please?


	9. Breath Again

Don't Turn Your Back

10.

Breathe Again

-

The battle was going as expected. Toph was faced with hoards of oncoming Firebenders, Aang was fighting Ozai, Sokka was duelling Azula (something about revenge for Suki), Katara and Zuko were fighting Ty Lee and Mai. The best part was, they were winning. Toph had created a thick wall separating the rest of the Fire Nation soldiers from the group and ran over to where Mai, Ty Lee, Zuko and Katara were fighting and with a few quick moves she had trapped Mai and Ty Lee in rock.

"Go help Aang! I've got Azula!" Toph yelled at Katara and Zuko who immediately ran over, Katara brandishing her water whips and Zuko his fire.

"Oh look," Azula voice carried even through the din of war, "the little blind girl is coming to the rescue." Toph threw a series of boulders at Azula who dodged them easily before retaliating with her own bursts of flames. While Toph kept Azula distracted Sokka snuck up behind her and was about to hack her to bits she turned around and with a crescent kick, trailed with blue flames, sent Sokka reeling.

"Sokka!" Toph yelled and she ran towards him only to be met with a wall of flames. She stopped just short of the fire and readied her stance. Azula's footsteps were just to her left and moving her foot forward Toph sent a pillar of rock towards the Fire Nation Princess. Azula's feet left the ground and for a moment Toph could not sense her. She stood completely still ears and feet straining for a hint of where the Princess had landed.

To her left lightning crackled before Toph could snap her senses back into her own body it was streaking through the air. Toph prepared herself; she wasn't going to give up just because Azula threw a bolt of light at her. This was Toph Beifong. The Blind Bandit. The world's greatest earthbender and she was not going to give up to death and defeat so easily. Suddenly something collide with her body, she felt her face smash against the ground, a hand wrapped around her waist and the howl of lightning dissipate as it made contact with flesh.

Not her flesh Toph realized and her face was squished against the ground. A body was lying on her. Her whole torso could feel vibrations. Azula was on the ground, heartbeat faint and fading while Aang and Zuko stood over her, heartbeats quick. Katara was going to Toph, her feet running towards the fallen earthbender. What Toph couldn't see was Sokka. He had mysteriously vanished. No vibrations could be found. No trace. No nothing. She tried to sit up but something kept her down, she wiggled again and the thing moaned.

"Sokka?" she finally said realizing where her friend had disappeared. This time she gave a great heave and the body rolled off her, coughing.

"Hey Toph." He said, smiling while pain shot through his body.

"Snoozles…" She could feel his heartbeat growing softer with each passing moment. It seemed the outside world as frozen. Only the Avatar and his companions kept moving. Toph's hands drifted over his chest but withdrew quickly as he gasped in pain. "C'mon Snoozles don't let a little lightning bring you down."

He coughed. Katara was beside Toph in an instant, her eyes already welling with tears as she attempted to revive her brother. Aang and Zuko stood awkwardly off to the side.

The deadly silence grew. Sokka's breathing became more laboured and Katara's healing became more frantic. She was almost sobbing by now, only held up by Zuko and Aang.

Toph Beifong grasped her best friend's hand. His palms were rough, calloused from fighting. His fingers wiggled lamely but it was the most he could manage.

She wasn't going to cry.

Sokka's heart began to drift into the Great Unknown. Toph took one breath and held it as if it was the only thing keeping the boy alive. By now Katara had long succumbed to tears and sobbed into Zuko's chest while Aang rubbed her back, tears pouring down his face. Even Zuko was crying.

But not Toph.

"Toph…" Sokka's breath whispered. His hand grew limp and the life vanished from him. She tried to remember him, but his memories were slipping through her mind like sand through her fingers.

His smile. She could never see it though she could feel it radiate.

His voice. She could never see his expression but she could hear it through his voice.

His feel. The only thing she truly shared with him.

The breath she had been holding was released. Time began again, starting it's endless circle of hurt, pain, hope and destiny. Toph felt the tears she had been holding begin to form at the corners of her eyes. But this time she would not wipe them away out of shame. Sokka of the Water Tribe was going to see her cry.

The world's greatest Earthbender held her friend and cried for the last time in her life.

They never saw Toph after that.

Some say she wandered away, absorbed into her element to walk forever alone a spirit of the earth.

Some say she went insane as a result misery and sealed herself inside the Cave of Two Lovers.

Some say she never truly breathed again.

* * *

A/N

ANGST

lol


	10. Memory

**Don't Turn Your Back**

**11.**

**Memory**

_"What is a memory?"_

Something remembered from the past; a recollection

_"Do they haunt people?"_

Sometimes. They follow people for eternities or for a moment.

_"Do you remember the boy you travelled with?"_

There were three. One married a beautiful waterbender. He met quite the unfortunate end. Laying on his deathbed, engaged for an hours before the void swallowed him.

_"No, not the Avatar. The other one."_

The Fire Nation Prince? He was always my favourite, just like the sibling I never had.

_"No, not Zuko. The waterbender's brother."_

Ah yes. Do I remember him?

_"Tell me!"_

His name was Sokka of the Water Tribe. I remember one thing about him. He loved meat.

_"You foolish old woman! I do not care for your ramblings! Tell me where your child is!"_

A child? Ah yes, Yue, I remember he wanted to name her after the moon. Very good waterbender, wish she would toughen up and work on her earthbending.

_"Fire Lady Azula. She won't break!"_

_"Oh she will. Just like her husband did."_

My husband? Was I married?

_"Cut the charade. This is more than make-believe now. Tell me where the Avatar is and I'll make your death quick and painless."_

Death? Seems quite trivial now. Maybe it's the next adventure I've been waiting for.

Maybe I'll see him again.

* * *

_"Your wife is dead."_

Is she? That's a lie, you're LYING.

_"Would I really lie about something like that?"_

You always lie. Zuko told me that much.

_"She begged for mercy."_

**YOU ****LIAR!**

_"Does it really matter? I've had you imprisoned for sixteen years. You've lasted longer than most prisoners. You'll just have to accept the fact that she's not coming for you."_

I'm not listening to you anymore.

_"Maybe you'll listen to this. Toph Beifong wanted me to deliever a message to you."_

Lalalalala not listening

_"She wanted me to tell you that she hates you. She hates that you abandoned her. In fact, when I told her you were rotting away in a prison she laughed."_

No...

_"Oh yes. And you'll have to live with the feeling that the one woman you loved, the one woman you adored, the one woman who might've missed you when are killed, hated you. See you tomorrow at dawn. Don't you just love a good execution in the morning?"_

Lies...lies...please dear Spirits let them be lies...

* * *

A/N

I was gonna do the 'Toph feels Sokka's face' plot. But everyone's done that.

So the angst keeps on coming.


	11. Insanity

A/N

Okay, since I've been piling on the angst for what, two weeks? I've decided to write –drum roll please- something fluffy! Hurray!

* * *

**Don't Turn Your Back**

**12.**

**Insanity**

The Edge

_There is no honest way to explain it _

_Because the only people who really know_

_Where it is are the ones who have gone over_

Hunter S. Thompson

* * *

I've never really been a big fan of festivals. Sure it's just one giant party but for someone who sees with their feet it's just one big headache.

I was currently taking a respite from the constant backslaps and toasts. I'm laying on a grassy hill, arms tucked behind my head and feet resolutely off the ground, though vibrations still thud through my torso.

Two feet draw closer and I sit up putting my feet onto the earth. Immediately I recognize them as my best friend's walk. "Toph! What are you doing?"

I smirk as he sits down beside me. "Staying away from Zuko. Have you seen him? He's a danger to himself when he's drunk. He's already kissed Katara AND Aang." We laugh together. It's been fun, travelling with him for the past four years. In fact we've all stuck together after Ozai's Fall, Zuko and Aang still fight over Katara and Sokka and I still are close. I was a big support for him after Suki left for the Spirit World.

"Well, I'm not gonna let you miss the beginning of the year of the Badgermole! This is your year Toph! Let's go! We've still got five minutes till midnight."

My year? "Fine. I'll come." He jumps to his feet and drags me to mine before pulling me through throng and throngs of people to the centre of Ba Sing Se. The Palace was open to anyone now and many celebrations and ceremonies were held in the Inner Circle.

* * *

-Sokka-

Toph has really grown over the years. Maybe not height-wise, though she does reach the bottom of my chin now, but grown in other ways. She's decided that dresses aren't that bad, as long as she can wear pants under them and no shoes.

So here we stand, only a few seconds left until the year of the Wolf passed leaving room for the Badgermole, Me staring at Toph, her long, black hair shining in torchlight. I lean over, placing my forearms on her shoulder and brining my eyes within inches of her pale ones.

"Ya know Toph, you're pretty cute." I mutter. All around us the countdown has begun.

10…

She lifts a finger and point towards the bar and says, in a completely unimpressed voice, "You drank the cactus juice, didn't you?"

9…

"Oh come on!" She's resisting my seduction techniques! Time to go into overdrive!

8…

"I'm not coming on!"

7…

"Fine. Then I'll just make you!"

6…

By this time I'm so close to her face I can count her eyelashes.

5…

"This is insanity! Sokka! What are you doing? Sokk-" I lean over and steal my name off of her lips.

4…

She blushes. "What was that for?"

3…

"That was for all the years I never did it."

2…

She has nothing to say but stands on her tiptoes, kissing me back.

1…

The crowd finally reaches the countdown. Screams of 'Happy New Year' echo and there is hugging.

Toph Beifong glares at me. "You are an idiot."

"Yeah, but I'm your idiot. Happy New Year."

* * *

A/N

Hahaha it's not the new year...however it is mother's day! Happy Mother's Day!


	12. Misfourtune

**Don't Turn Your Back**

**13.**

**Misfortune**

**-**

Fire Nation nights could be cold. A breeze would blaze through the forest, tearing leaves from the branches. My toes would curl, goosebumps would crawl up my arms and legs, my hair would fly into my face and my hand would search for the blanket I had back home.

I hate the cold. The Blind Bandit hates the cold. Sokka and Katara do not hate the cold and love rubbing it in my face by wearing light clothes while I'm in sweaters.

"Brrr…" I muttered, dragging my knees closer to my chest. They provided a tiny bit of warmth. Another wind blew through the forest. My toes felt like they're going to fall off.

"Toph?" The voice asked out of the dark. From the calm heartbeat I can tell it's Sokka. His body shifted under his blanket as he propped himself up on his arms. Katara and Aang slept on, unaffected by the freezing wind.

"Sorry. Go back to sleep Snoozles." I turned away from him, still curled into a ball.

"Toph, I can hear your teeth chattering." He sounded amused.

I rolled back onto my side to face him. "I'm fine."

He shuffled over to me, a worm wrapped up in a blanket. His arm reached out and touched my toes. I wiggled them and he let out a soft chuckle. Sokka came closer and I felt soft fabric float onto my shivering body. His body suddenly presses against me.

"What are you doing?" I managed to choke out. My flush on my cheeks right now is probably enough to warm me up.

"Well, you're freezing Toph. We can't have you catching a cold two weeks before the Eclipse." He said, laying his head back down on the ground his breathing becoming slower and quieter.

I couldn't sleep not while my crush so close; I'm scared to breath. I started to move away from him and I hear a sudden intake of breath as Sokka wakes up.

"Toph?" He yawned. "What are you doing? Can't you sleep?"

I sighed, "Yeah, I don't know why…"

"Well…maybe I can try something my mom used to help me get to sleep." His hand drifted to my hair and starts stroking it. My blush flushed a deeper red. His voice started humming. It wasn't a familiar melody but I could feel my conscious drift in and out of sleep. Soon I fall asleep, wind drowned out by the soft lullaby of the Water Tribe boy.

I dreamt of nothing, but that's not really anything new. Being blind could suck at times.

Wind howled through the air and I was pulled out of my calm sleep. For a second I took a check of my surroundings.

What are the odds that Sokka and I both moved a lot in our sleep? It was awkward when I found myself lying right on Sokka's chest. I felt Sokka's breath quicken and his mouth smack as he woke up. All I could manage was, "Um."

"It's alright. Just go back to sleep." He said sleepily, I don't think he knew what he was saying, but I wasn't about to correct him.

The next morning I found myself sleeping under the blanket, Sokka laying a few feet away, sleeping soundly. I smiled and stood up, walking over to him. I folded the blanket and put it beside him. He's not that bad a friend. Letting me use his blanket so I could keep my toes on.

After I put the blanket beside him he found himself woken up by a giant pillar of earth sending him fifty feet in the air. He landed with a yell, waking up Katara and Aang.

"What was that for?" He asked, rubbing his backside.

"Because." Was all I said before punching him in the arm. Hey? Who said I had to be thankful? It's his bad luck that I'm bad at saying thank you.

* * *

Author's Note

Meh.


	13. Smile

**Don't Turn Your Back**

**14.**

**Smile**

I loved her smile, when she did it you could see the mischievousness almost leaking out.

It was like a virus, when she was smiling (not at my faults mind you) everyone around smiled.

When she laughed, (not at the price of my dignity mind you), it tickled your sides forcing a giggle, a smile or laughter to come out.

When she joked, (not about me mind you), Katara and Aang would burst into laughter while Zuko would smile, something only she seemed able to make him do.

What she never did was bottle up her feelings…well at least not most of them. To me Toph had three settings, Earthbending, happy and sarcastic.

Then.

**BOOM**. Suddenly it was like there was a whole other side of her. She was blushing, quiet sometimes when people asked us if we were going to hook up soon and reserved whenever Zuko or Katara asked her whom she liked.

And then there was this other side of her. Sad, reserved and completely silent. She would isolate herself and the whole camp would suddenly lose it's sparkle. Zuko would be playing with a small fire in his palms while Aang and Katara made strained, forced conversation.

It was moments like these that I shined. I seemed to have a special knack for getting her out these 'slumps' as one might call them.

"Hey Toph." I say, taking a seat beside her. Out feet dangle over the edge of cliff and below us stretches the ocean, which blends with the horizon and setting sun.

"Go away." Is the kind welcome I get. No matter, this happens every time.

"Are you going to tell me what's wrong or am I going to have to coax it out of you?"

"Nothing's wrong."

"You know Toph, you're really good at sensing lies but you suck at telling them."

"If I tell you, will you leave me alone?"

"Yes."

To my surprise her cheeks turn a dusty rose. "Well, you see, there's this guy…"

I grin from ear to ear. "A boy you say? Does my little earthbender have a crush?"

"Do you want to know or not?" I stop smiling and try to act as serious as possible. "Good. Well, there's this guy. He's really great and he and I are great friends but I don't think he likes me. In fact, I know he doesn't like me because he's in love with someone else right now, but I'm hoping, maybe one day he'll notice that I'm falling in love with him." She says this all very fast and does her best not to look at me.

I let her take a moment to catch her breath and I think of everyone it could be. Only two people come to mind. Zuko, he and Toph are friends but he likes Mai. Then there's Aang, Toph picks him on him a lot but they get along and he's in love with Katara. "So who is it?"

Again the sudden change catches me off guard. There's a single thing that let's me know when the Blind Bandit emerges from her 'slump'.

It's her smile, you know the one, the one you just can't help loving? Yeah, the crooked one that mean you're about your butt kicked earthbending style.

"I'm not telling you. 'night." With that she stands up and stretches before making a little earth tent and climbing into it.

Toph Beifong is the most frustrating girl on the planet.

I think that's what I like about her.

* * *

Author's Note

Shameless fluff...I love it.

Oh Sokka, how oblivious can you be?


	14. Silence

**Don't Turn Your Back**

**15.**

**Silence**

There was one thing Sokka hated in this world.

No, it was not the Fire Nation. (He had long grown fond of the food and hospitality of the reformed Fire Nation)

No, it was not the romance between his sister and the Avatar. (After a few rounds of drinks he had been convinced that their marriage was for the best.)

No, it was not the young men who constantly came and asked him for training. (He always challenged them to duel to prove their 'worth' he had to find someone hat could last longer that thirty seconds)

No, it was Silence.

Yes, something a simple as that.

No, Sokka didn't think it was very funny when people laughed at his worst fear.

Yes, Sokka was terrified, scared, frightened and worried over that little thing.

Sokka did not like the Silence because of one thing; only one thing made Silence the most unbearable thing in existence.

Once, many years ago, he had been traveling with a young earthbender by the name of Toph Beifong. Now this young earthbender was no ordinary girl, she was blind, the Avatar's earthbending master and the only metalbender in the world.

During their travels together one might say that Toph Beifong and Sokka of the Southern Water Tribe grew close, closer than Suki of the Kyoshi Warriors had gotten to him. Eventually they confessed their feelings and found that they made a fantastic couple.

Their love, however, was short-lived. Zuko had summoned Toph to the Fire Nation; he had wanted help rebuilding a few establishments that had been destroyed by rebels. She had agreed but advised Sokka to stay behind and watch his sister as she was due for twins at any moment and needed all the support she could get.

Grudgingly, he had agreed. One month later Katara had twins. A girl and a boy, named Kira and Gyatso respectively. The births had gone on without a hitch. Sokka sent a hawk to Toph right away.

Three weeks after the letter was sent, Sokka had still not received a response. Every night he paced his window, waiting for the shadow of a bird to pass by and yet no bird came. He sent another note.

A week later he finally got his response. As he watched the bird land he noticed that it bore the emblem of the Royal Family. Zuko had obviously wanted the letter to get there quicker, Sokka had assured himself as he unrolled the scroll. The words were scribbled, clearly written in haste.

_Sokka,_

_Toph has been injured in a rebel attack. Bring Katara, our best healers are working on her right now but we need a master healer._

_Zuko_

He couldn't believe the words written on the paper. That was Sokka's first encounter with Silence. As they flew to the Fire Nation, Aang steering while Katara kept an eye on her children Sokka believed that even the wind had stopped singing. He heard nothing but he knew that he was not deaf. He understood that Silence was playing him, torturing him.

When Appa's giant padded paws hit Fire Nation soil the world was thrown back into sound. People ushering them towards the Palace. Zuko running out and grabbing Katara's arm and pulling her to Toph. Kira and Gyatso crying. Aang attempting to hush them.

When the hubbub died down Sokka found himself sitting beside his sister while his lover was laying on a bed in front of them, burns up and down her body though miraculously her face still remained unscarred.

"Is she going to be okay?" Sokka asked his sister. She was kneeling beside Toph, water out and glowing.

The look Katara gave him and the Silence that greeted his question he formed his own answer.

So for the next week he never left Toph's side. Constantly staring at her as though the minute he took his eyes off of her, she would disappear. Silence filled the aching moments.

Moments where Toph would stop breathing and his heart would freeze.

Moments where she would mumble and it would flutter.

Moments where it seemed she tottered on the very edge of Life and Death.

It was moments like these that drove Sokka to the brink of insanity.

"Sokka, you really need to get some sleep." A hand was placed on his shoulder and, looking round, he saw Fire Lord Zuko standing behind him.

"I'm fine Zuko." He replied in a monotone.

Zuko takes the seat beside him. "You've been awake for three days straight. Your sister is going insane over Toph's wounds, I really think she doesn't need to worry about your condition to."

Sokka's blue eyes search the amber ones of Zuko for a moment. "Will you watch her?"

Zuko nods and says, solemnly, "Of course. Get some rest Sokka."

As Sokka dozed he found his dreams haunted by Toph. In his dreams, or nightmares as he would later call them, Silence reigned. No matter how many times he saw Toph fading into darkness his voice seemed unable to call her back.

He awake in a sweat, pulling on clothes he ran to the healing room. Zuko was standing in the doorway. When he saw Sokka, a smile broke out on his face. Sokka pushed by Zuko and found Toph Beifong sitting up in her bed, looking a little drowsy, but awake nonetheless.

"Hey Snoozles." She said. From that moment forward, Sokka vowed that he would never, ever, tell someone to be quiet. For Silence was the greatest of tortures he had ever known.


	15. Questioning

Don't Turn Your Back

16.

Questioning

-

"Sokka?" Toph said, jerking her head away from his hands, "What are you doing?" She had just been sitting there, attempting to do something with her mass of hair. Only Fire Lord Zuko would make her wear her hair up. Mind it was a special night, being named official heroes of the world was important. To Toph, not important enough to wear a dress and do something with her hair.

"Well you looked like you needed help," he said sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head.

Toph froze. "Snoozles knows how to do hair?" she said it mockingly though she did seem mildly impressed.

"After my mom died, Katara would always make me do her hair. Apparently, I'm pretty good." He grinned looking proud of the talent.

From somewhere in their temporary house Katara yelled, "Ya! He's great Toph!"

"Well if Sugar Queen thinks you're good, I guess you could do my hair," she sighed while Sokka clapped his hands happily.

He sat her down and began letting the raven hair out of its bun. It fell past her shoulders, "Wow, you have a lot of hair!" remarked taking out her headband.

"Yeah…never really felt like cutting it." She said indifferently.

"When was the last time you washed it?" he asked, picking feathers, rocks and grains of rice out of it.

"Uh…10, no, 11 days." She smiled as Sokka's faced turned a light green.

"Why don't you go wash it and come back?" he suggested, pointing towards the bathroom.

"Fine." The earthbender made her way through the house to the bathroom where a tub of lukewarm water was waiting, courtesy of Katara. Taking a deep breath she plunged her head into the water, running her hands through it getting all the little bits and pieces of travel caught in it. She whipped out her hair causing the water droplets to fly in an arc; she came back to Sokka, towel drying her hair into a fluffy mess.

"Great!" he led Toph to a chair and sat her down in front of a vanity. Top was abnormally quiet as he ran a comb through her hair, humming slightly.

She knew she was blushing.

She knew her heart was pumping furiously.

She didn't know why though, it was a seemingly natural reaction, Sokka would touch her and she would feel her stomach clench up and a dumb smile would appear on her face for only a second.

Aang walked by a few minutes later to see Sokka, tongue out, eyebrows meeting in intense concentration standing behind Toph who's eyes were open wide, hands in her lap looking a bit dazed, though her hair looked very nice.

* * *

The party was formal. Nobles, ladies, generals, lords, servants and friends of the Avatar were all there, eating and drinking the Fire Lord dry.

Aang, Katara, Toph and Sokka were the highlight, spending most of the night answer questions. Aang and Katara held hands while answering the many questioned posed by the fawning crowd, occasionally gazing at each other lovingly and making the crowd sigh romantically. Toph and Sokka handled their own fans solo. Toph surrounded by handsome benders from the Fire Nation and Earth Kingdom while Sokka had girls from all over the world.

"Could I have Avatar Aang, Sokka and Katara of the Water Tribe and Toph Beifong of the Earth Kingdom step up here please?" Zuko's voice was easily heard over the polite conversation.

"I, Fire Lord Zuko, grant you 4 the highest honors." The crowd burst into cheers, whistling, yelling and foaming.

A servant followed the Fire Lord with the medals, Sokka bowed as Zuko placed the medal around his neck before clasping each other's forearms. Katara didn't hesitate to hug Zuko causing him to blush and return the hug awkwardly. Aang gave him the widest smile in his arsenal forcing Zuko return it against his will. When Toph straightened she punched Zuko in the shoulder making him wince in pain before laughing slightly with the crowd and the blind girl.

The band began playing a slow song; Aang and Katara made their way to the dance floor and were allowed to have the first dance of the night. Mai and Zuko joined them and soon couples from all nations were dancing slowly on the spot.

Toph was standing around the edges, fingering the metal around her neck. No one would ask her to dance here everyone had someone. Even Toph, clothed in a beautiful emerald dress, her hair in two buns on the side of her head a white lotus pin holding her bangs to one side showing her face for the first time in years was alone in watching the couples.

"Miss Beifong of the Earth Kingdom," Someone said behind her in a snobby tone, "may I have this dance?"

"I do believe you can Sokka of the Water Tribe.," she said enjoying her own high-class attitude.

"Shall we?" he extended his arm.

"Indeed."

"Indubitably." They gave each other a side look before bursting into laughter. Still giggling slightly Toph took his arm and they joined the throng of dancers and began slowly revolving around. Toph's face was turning a light cherry when her hand found Sokka's and the other slipped around her waist while hers rested on his shoulder.

Sokka's heart was beating normally as they danced across the room, she felt him take a breath, "I like your hair." he said smiling while Toph just blushed.

* * *

Author's Note

Gah. Random.


	16. Blood

For Kyoshi 7879 (MAD LOVE) So she pimped me in her story, so I felt obliged to do the same. She rocks out hardcore, writes some of the best Tokka I've seen! But if you read my stuff you probably already read hers xD

Anyway, she wrote me something ridiculously fluffy and as I call her the Queen of Tokka Fluff and I'm known to a few as the Queen of Tokka Angst, I wrote her something angsty…Which really isn't that surprising, sue me, I know you all read for the angst XD

Oh and TrueThinker…be careful, I know you're not a big fan of blood so I understand if you skip this one.

* * *

**Don't Turn Your Back**

**17.**

**Blood**

Sokka had never liked the colour red. Red meant Fire Nation which meant death, destruction and a long list of things I'm sure he could name if need be.

_The true reason I hate blood was not because it took my mother away in one fell swoop._

Secondly, it also was the colour of blood.

Blood is gooey. Yes, only such a childish term could describe it.

Blood is life and death all at once.

It tore his sister apart. She went insane with control once Ozai's lightning had killed Aang and Zuko had been badly injured thanks to Azula. Every soldier that faced her was ripped in two without a second glance.

_The true reason I hate blood was not because it was destroying my sister._

Blood was the thing that coated his sword. Enemy after enemy fell to his blade, no longer a steely black but a shiny, sweet, _bloody,_ red.

_The true reason I hate blood was not because there was so much of it._

Blood was the thing that had poured out of her. He had seen the instant, a stray sword, a fluke some may say, had sliced her back.

_The true reason I hate blood was not because there was so little of it._

The minute that sword had graced Toph Beifong's back with a cut Sokka had gone insane. Soon corpses surrounded his sister and himself.

Yet he still longed for more. More blood, more revenge.

_The true reason I hate blood was not because insanity and blood went together like yin and yang_

Katara was panting and collapsed sideways. Struggling, his arm bleeding furiously, Zuko limped over to her and sat down beside her, stroking her blood soaked hair in an almost insane fashion.

As though her ragged breathing was the only thing keeping him stable.

_The true reason I hate blood was not because we were coated in it._

Sokka stumbled over to the tiniest corpse he could find. Among the red armour and nameless, faceless soldiers was Toph Beifong, her pale skin shining in the rising sun's blood red light.

_The true reason I hate blood was not because she wasn't covered in it._

"Looks like my time's up, eh Snoozles?" She had said. He noticed that she was completely clean. The cut on her back still bleed but besides that she was pure.

"No, Toph." He had said, gently, delicately, _carefully_, as if she was a porcelain doll, lifted her head into his lap. "You're going to stay right hear with me."

So she did. Her eyes did not close, her breathing did not stop, though it because slower and slower. And as the life giving blood slipped from her wound and onto his lap he began to cry. Toph Beifong was slipping away…and there was _nothing_ he could do about it.

"Please Toph…" He whispered. "Don't die."

"Don't worry Sokka..." she had said, her pastel eyes closing, "I'm just going...to...have a...little...rest..."

**Limp. She had become limp.**

-

_The true reason I hate blood was because it was the first time I had truly felt blood as is dripped out of her back onto my hands._

_I still dream in red._

* * *

Author's Note

So angst, obviously, but stylistically I really liked it. If you look closely you can see I repeated the words blood, insanity and red a lot. I have no idea why but I thought that using to many different synonyms would kinda distort the story.

Oh and just so everybody knows, I'm off to writing camp! won't see anyone for a week then it's SDCC! Man, my July's been busy as hell...


	17. Rainbow

**Don't Turn Your Back**

**18.**

**Rainbow**

-

"I hate rainbows." Zuko muttered, giving the multicoloured band in the sky a dirty look. He and Sokka sat on the old Engine Bridge, feet dangling while the Bow River rushed and bubbled below them. Both were in swimming trunks and Zuko's pale skin contrasted harshly with Sokka's tan in the brilliant sunlight.

It was a blaring hot day so their little ragtag group had decided to spend it near the river. Katara was splashing around happily with Aang while Toph was laying on the sand, arms propped behind her head and legs crossed, an image of complete relaxation.

The day had started off cold and raining but when noon came the rain had blown away leaving a bright blue sky, a shining sky and perfect puffy clouds.

Sokka stared at him. "How can you hate rainbows?" He gestured a tanned arm towards it. "They're so pretty."

Zuko gave a small cough before saying, "Just because they're pretty doesn't mean I can't hate them."

"Stop being such a wet towel. Rainbows are awesome."

"Why? Because they so manly?" Zuko asked causing a blush to warm Sokka's cheeks.

"No, b-because." He cast around for an answer. "Because they're colouriful."

"Okay, so suddenly I'm supposed to like them just because they're colourful? Well, with that logic I think I'm going to go find Ty lee and love her, I mean she's so," Zuko glared at Sokka, "_colourful."_

"What are you two lovebirds bickering about?" Toph had made her way over, her approach unnoticed by the two boys. She had a pair of sunglasses, though she really didn't need them, as she was blind, perched on her head.

"I'm jus telling Zuko here that rainbows are awesome." Sokka said before Zuko could open his mouth.

Toph grinned at them. "I agree with Sokka. I _love_ rainbows." The sentence was coated in sarcasm but, as always, the cynicism was lost on Sokka.

"Thank you Toph!" Sokka crossed his arms and gave Zuko a smug look. Zuko facepalmed and Toph scowled.

"No problem. You know, I just love looking at them." Sokka's face fell as his friend's words entered his brain.

Toph's fist contacted with his shoulder and Sokka fell forward, straight into the river. Zuko was laughing head off while Toph stalked off.

Blowing his wet hair out his face Sokka mumbled, "I hate rainbows."


	18. Gray

_**Don't Turn Your Back  
**_

_**19. **_

_**Gray**_

She stared at the glowing screen. This was, perhaps, the twentieth time she had attempted to start the story. Sadly, her normally idea-full Tokka muses were bickering.

Deep within her gray matter a battle raged. Mostly between the two most powerful muses, the Muse of Angst, Melina, and the Muse of Fluff, Isabel.

"Sokka should be lost is a battle! Surrounded by smoke as he struggles to find Toph!" Melina raged to the Counsel of Writing.

"Don't be stupid! That happened a couple of chapters ago. Counsel, it has been many days since we have written a heart-warming piece, please, let me shine for once.

The High Empress of the Counsel stared at the two muses, her eyes deep in concentration. This was the one who controlled it all, the one who was the "inner mind" so to speak. This was Emma. She turned to her left and looked at a tall, willowy looking muse with long dark hair, "Muse Sarah. What do you think?"

The tall woman stood and addressed the two muses standing in front of them. "I cannot make a decision, as the Muse of Plot, until you both have presented an idea. Till then I reserve judgment."

"Fine." Emma turned the amber-eyed brunette on her right, "Elena, what do you think?"

Elena, The Muse of Zutara, stood, pushing her chair back. The seat once belonged to Brenda, Muse of Kataang but now she had been moved down so that Zutara separated her from Emma. "I believe that a tale of fluff is in order."

Brenda stood up violently. "You just want fluffy because you know that fluff Tokka means side mentions of Zutara! I demand angst!"

"You just want angst because you know that angst means Kataang!" Elena yelled back.

Brenda opened her mouth to retort by Emma's voice cut her off. "Quiet, both of you. Brenda, you vote for angst and Elena, you vote for fluff. Am I not correct?" They both nodded. "Good. Now," Emma turned to the final woman on the Counsel. She was by far the fiercest-looking. "Lyra, Muse of Jetzula, what do you think?"

Lyra did not look up but simply kept examining her nails. "Why does it matter? I'm never in this story anyway."

"So it comes back to you." She looked at the tall woman beside her. "Which do you chose?"

"I have not changed my mind. I still remain neutral until a solid idea I can work with is provided by either."

So the battle raged one and in the end, the story for the number nineteen, _Gray,_ was a complete and utter failure.

* * *

Seriously. My mind is organized like this. By god, that was a waste of your time. I'm sorry! This is actually how most of my stories work. I tend to rgue with myself whether want the story to be happy or sad. From there on it gets tested by the others, Jetzula, Plot, Zutara/Kataang.

So... Expect an acutal story for twenty.


	19. Fortitude

**Don't Turn Your Back  
**

**20. **

**Fortitude**

**-**

He admired her fortitude, she was always telling the group not to give up, even when the invasion had failed, even when Ozai defeated Aang and the Fire Nation won the world.

"Here's the plan." She had been proclaimed a general of The White Lotus Society. It had only taken her six years of hiding and attacks to grow from snarky tiny girl to snarky battle worn woman.

Her long hair, dirty as always, was pulled into a high bun though pieces still escaped and dark bangs still hide her eyes. Besides that she had only changed her clothing, which now consisted of dark pants, bandages wrapped around her shins, forearms and knuckles. Her tunic was made of forest green and her Earth Rumble belt, while worn and chipped, still sat proudly on her hips.

Yes, Toph Beifong, High General of The White Lotus Society had definitely matured. Sokka snapped out of his reverie was a harsh tap on his shoulder. Turning he found Zuko behind him. His hair and grown long and unkempt, his clothes torn from many battles but he still held to power to quiet a whole regiment with one steely stare of those amber eyes.

Beside him was Katara, her belly swollen (much to Sokka's surprise, and slight displeasure, when she revealed the banished prince to be the father) but otherwise his sister had not changed. Her long hair still flowed freely down her back and she wore a blue tunic and bracers covering her tanned arms.

"Myself and an elite team will infiltrate the Phoenix Lord's Palace and using the intel we've received from out inside sources we will crush him."

"But General Beifong," a younger one of member stood up, addressing her, "Ozai is surrounded by guards at all times. How will we, never mind about finding him, but get past the security measures he has up?"

Toph stopped pacing in front of her audience and looked directly at the man, her sightless eyes finding his with uncanny accuracy. "What's your name?"

Every eye was upon him. "Hikaru."

"Hikaru…" the general stepped towards him, the crowd parting so she could get to him. "You're on the team with me. Yang, Jiang, Tai and Kia, you're with us to. Be ready leave an hour before dawn. Dismissed."

The soldiers filed out and Toph followed them, winding through the complex passages of the Cave of the Two Lovers until she found her own room.

"You know as well as I do that this is a suicide mission." A voice said. In two seconds the figure was pinned against the wall, wrists, ankles and neck retrained by stone.

"Sokka." The stones fell and Sokka stumbled forward, rubbing his neck. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm here to talk to you about this mission. Are you actually planning on taking five people with you? You're going to murder five people just so you can prove a point?"

"I'm not taking them." she said, walking over to her bed and pulling the headband out of her hair. It fell past her back and she carefully placed the cloth on her side table. "I'm leaving two hours before dawn and going myself."

Sokka walked up behind her, placing a hand on her shoulder. "Toph. Don't be an idiot. You will die before you even make it feet within Ozai."

She did not say anything but turned to face him, placing her hand on his and gently removing it from her shoulder. "I'm not scared."

He did not doubt that her. Even in the face of death, she did not cower or flinch. She held her angled chin strong and a determined look passed behind her bangs.

Sokka let go of her arm but as she turned to leave he reached out again, grabbed her shoulder and whipped her around, pulling her into a hug.

"Be safe."

"I will."

-

The next morning Toph was gone and within a few hours news that Phoenix King Ozai had been killed reached the rebellion's ears.

All but one soldier celebrated. One mourned the death of Toph Beifong, High General of The White Lotus Society.

May she rest in peace, for even in the face of death she did not cower.


	20. Vacation

**Don't Turn Your Back  
**

**21. **

**Vacation**

**-**

"Where should we go?"

"The Library?"

"Blind, remember?"

"Ba Sing Se?"

"Too many rules."

"Southern Water Tribe?"

"Too cold."

"Gaoling?"

"Overprotective parents."

"Fire Nation?"

"I don't want to spend my vacation listening to Mai and Zuko drown each other in lame cheesy emo romantic lines."

"Western Air Temple?"

"Too far."

"FINE! You pick somewhere."

"Omashu." She says simply.

"Omashu it is." He says, rolling up the map of the world. "You think Aang's would lend us Appa?"

* * *

"Toph, are you sure this is a good idea?" he asks as the delivery cart balances precariously on the edge of Omashu's delivery service.

She smiles and just from that he knows he's in for it. Using her earthbending she pushes them forward.

He soon found out that speed, in Toph's blind world, was completely unbound by the laws of physics.

He also discovered that mail delivery slides are the best first date.

* * *

Author's Note

After the last ridiculously EMO chapter I thought I'd do a little fluffy piece ;)


	21. Mother Nature

**Don't Turn Your Back  
**

**22. **

**Mother Nature**

**-**

Mother Earth was someone Sokka had never really cared for. Science, his best friend, had proven that the earth was not a 'she' or even a 'he' for that matter, nor was it a living breathing thing. It was just a floating piece of space rock with life in an infinite universe.

Of course he'd turn off lights, recycle and other things like that. Not for Mother Nature but to delay Humanity's eventual destruction.

So, "Mother Nature" didn't hold a huge place in Sokka's heart.

That was until he met a girl called Toph Beifong.

At first she really didn't seem like one of Mother Earth's advocates. A paint stained wife-beater, ripped jeans, bags under her eyes. He pegged her as an art student perhaps one of those ones that was too good for anyone else but other art students.

That wouldn't explain why she would be standing on a huge stage preaching at a crowd. "The corporations have taken over Mother Nature! Our one and true mother! It is up to us! To you to help save the environment! It's the only one we've got!"

The crowd cheers and Sokka rolls his eyes. The girl on the stage squints past the sun noontime light. "It looks like we have a non-believer! Care to come up here and tell the corporations are helping the environment?" Sokka shakes his head and turns away but in a booming voice the girls says, "Chicken."

This stops him. The crowd "ohhes". Slowly he turns around to see her smiling at him. Just like that, all his rants that he's given to his sister about science came to mind. "I'm not saying that what you're doing isn't a good thing, but c'mon who are you kidding? The world is going to end anyway, just because we're going to cook ourselves with greenhouses gases or blow ourselves up with a particle accelerator doesn't mean we should get our panties in a knot."

"So you don't care about the environment? You must be the C.E.O's son or something."

"No. I'm just a man of Science."

The crowd booes him but the girl calls quiet with a raised hand. "Well, I'm just a girl of nature."

"You don't really seem like it." He grabs her shirt and rubs his thumb over a smudge of dry paint. She jerks away from his and he lets go, bringing his thumb to his nose. "Now, these paints aren't exactly earth friendly are they?"

"As a matter of fact they are." She sniffs as the crowd begins to mutter amongst themselves. She can see that she's losing her audience. In a vain attempt to regain her audience's attention she asks, "You wanna help the environment?"

"Only if you go on a date with me." He says it without missing a beat. She was cute, his hormones were working their magic and who was he to ignore them, being the man of Science he was?

"What?" The crowd's attention is back on them.

"I will go completely green if you go on a date with me."

The crowd begins to cheer. "Date! Date! Date!" Sokka grins at her.

"You got some nerve."

"People tell me that a lot. Some might even call it," He wiggles his eyebrows, "a bit cocky."

The joke does not go over well with the artist. She brings back her fist, gives him a quick smile and sinks it into his stomach. He stumbles back while the gathered people cheer. "For Mother Nature!" she cries, pumping her fist into the air.

As Sokka rubs his stomach the crowd begins to siphon away, still mumbling. The girls pulls on her jacket and stands at the edge of the stage. "You make a good argument."

"Thanks." He says sarcastically. "Glad to be of service."

She turns back to him, holding out a hand. "I'm Toph. Toph Beifong."

He takes it, not wanting to seem rude. "Sokka Kirima."

Toph smiles, lets go of his hand and jumps off the stage. Sokka watches her leave and opens his hand, glancing at the piece of paper Toph had slipped into his.

_8:00 outside the mall. We'll see what Science has to offer a girl of Nature._

Okay, so maybe Mother Nature wasn't that bad.

* * *

Author's Note

I LOVE this one. I don't know why but it's just one of my favorites!


	22. Cat

**Don't Turn Your Back  
**

**23. **

**Cat**

**-**

There is a term among jazz enthusiasts known as 'cat'. Perhaps you've heard the term "cool cats" before. This is in reference to anyone who plays jazz.

And that's exactly what Sokka "_Brass Fingers_" Kirima was known for. He traveled from club to club, his fingers dancing on those same three keys of his trumpet –so fondly named Yue, after his dead fiancée-.

Yeah. He was the coolest of the cool cats.

That was, of course as these stories tend to go, he met Toph Beifong. Originally he scoffed at the crossed-heart-hope-to-die eyewitness accounts that she could outplay him with her eyes closed.

Not that it would matter; they told him while he continued to scoff, as she was blind. No way could a blind person, no less _a girl_, outplay him. His pride and curiosity got the better of him and one late night in June he made him way down to the coolest club on the block "The Green Bird"

He slide in, doing his best to remain unseen by his friends, they would never let him live it down if they found him lurking here.

Toph Beifong's real name was not well known, he only knew because he had done some digging. She was known to most people as the Blind Bandit. This was not because any kleptomaniac-like tendencies. As cliché as it sounds, she was a heartbreaker, leaving a long line of men behind her as she ventured from town to town.

Toph Beifong would lure them in –forgive the truism saying once again- with her siren song and then spend one night with them, whether in a dingy motel or simply walking along main street, stopping at whatever store caught her fancy. After she'd get bored and that was it. She was gone, never talked to the man again, pretended as if the night had never happened.

So, all Sokka had to do was prove that he was the superior player, the musical and sexual sense.

Toph played her first piece and Sokka couldn't help but feel his jaw unhinge as soon as she played her first three measures. When she first started she just played a few notes, just dancing around the idea of a melody before she went into his. Her hands were almost blurred as she summoned the notes from the piano. The pianist wove styles together like threads of bebop, swing and good old legit jazz making a blanket of musical bliss.

He was hooked, captivated, rapt and a whole other multitude of words Sokka could've listed off if he wasn't too busy with Toph's music. She ended with the same tinker tune she had played at the beginning hitting the last note with an almost lazy finger.

The crowd exploded, cheering, stomping and banging glasses of whiskey against tables. Toph stood, inclining her head slightly at the adoring crowd before walking backstage. A tall man took the stage, his dark hair hiding most of his face. "The Blind Bandit will be taking a fifteen minute break."

The crowd stood up, stretching and talking animatedly about the performance while making their way to the bar, another round of drinks before the piano would start again.

Sokka, meanwhile, was disappearing behind the curtain, set on finding Toph Beifong and giving him a piece of his mind whether she wanted it or not. Slipping through the narrow hallway before stopping at a door where, hanging on it, was a sign that read "Blind Bandit." He knocked on it, waited for answer his foot taping to the beat of his impatience.

"Come in!" He threw the door open. Toph was sitting in a chair, her feet propped up, a bottle hanging in her hand. Sokka closes the door behind himself as Toph takes another swig from the bottle. "Sokka Kirima. The infamous_ Brass Fingers_. It's an honour to meet you." The last sentence is sarcastic and draws an angry growl from Sokka's chest.

Her feet slide off her vanity, landing on the floor, kicking up dirt from the filthy carpet. She slammed the bottle onto the wood, denting it slightly then pulled herself to her feet, dusting herself off. Sokka's lip was curled back with repulsion. Common hygiene was telling him to hightail out of there but he had something to tell her and by George he was going to do it.

"So, you got something to say?" A grubby finger was shoved up her nose and started digging. Once it found it's quarry it extracted itself and flicked the green gold away, which stuck to the wall, joining what seemed to be a whole plethora of dried up boogers. "Well, let's have it, I haven't got all day you know."

Sokka breathed deeply. "Toph Beifong. I love your music and maybe we could jam one night if you know what I mean." He said this all very quickly and breathlessly and before Toph could process any word of his he was kissing her, hand slipping down her bacn and behind her head, pulling her closer.

Zuko, to say the least, was not in the least bit impressed to have to tell the crowd that the Blind Bandit had mysteriously disappeared due to a "previous engagement" with a certain trumpet player.

Author's Note

Awww so cheesy.

But you love it.


	23. Gentle

**Don't Turn Your Back  
**

**24. **

**Gentle**

**-**

"Okay, what happens if I try this?"

"Oh…oh my…ouch…"

"Sorry! Does that hurt?"

"Yeah, try to be a little more gentle."

"I will, this is my first time."

"It shows. OW! What was that for!?"

"For talking back when someone is trying to give you a pleasurable experience."

"…This is taking a long time…"

"Is it? Do you normally do it shorter than this?"

"Sometimes, normally I like it fast and hard."

"So my softness isn't good? Should I push harder?"

"No, I think if you just go faster it'll be better."

"Okay…Is this better?"

"Oh yes… mmmm, much better."

"Your turn, I want to be bottom."

"Aww, c'mon Toph, don't…"

"It's my turn!"

"Fine, fine."

"That's better… I hate not facing you."

"You can't see anyway Toph."

"I know, but I hate leaving my back exposed like this."

"Don't worry, I'll make sure no one gets you…"

"You're behind me."

"Shush, it's my turn, just be quiet and I'll show you how it's done."

"…Oh Sokka… that is nice."

"What is this? Is Toph Beifong actually enjoying herself?"

"Quiet. I'm only doing this with you so I can get practice."

"…What? I'm only practice? Is there someone else who's you're planning on treating, Toph?"

"No! No! I just mean that I want to get better at it. You know, practice makes perfect."

"I think this is one of those thins that no one is ever perfect at."

"You're ruining it by talking. Ouch!"

"Sorry, I got distracted."

"Be careful! I'm tender!"

"You? Tender? I doubt it."

"Whatever… You're doing a good job, Meathead."

"Thanks, I think it would be better if we had some oil… makes everything a little smoother."

Zuko, Aang and Katara all popped out of their hiding place. There was a limit that Toph and Sokka could go but this crossed it.

Sokka looked up from Toph's back. She was lying on an earthbended table, her back exposed save for her chest bandages. His dark hands were gently rubbing her back and his shirt was thrown a few feet away, his back still a little pale from where Toph's hands had pounded into it.

"Uh, hi." Sokka said, raising a hand from her back. "Can I help you?"

Zuko looked at Katara, who looked at Aang, who shrugged his shoulders, grinning nervously. "It sounded like they were doing something else."

* * *

You all have dirty minds. :)


End file.
